Chapter 149: Trapped

"Reflect and absorb?" Anya was confused by my words.

"In simple terms, if I throw a magic spell, it will be absorbed and it will never be released to perform its effect. If I throw a physical attack instead, I will receive the full force of the physical attack I released."

"So then, that force earlier that caused you to be sent flying..." Yuri looked at me with shock.

"Yes. That was the power I released on kicking that blotches. If I am not careful enough, my left feet that I used to kick earlier would have been destroyed due to the reflection attack I received. My leg would be a gone."

Everyone gasped when they heard it. I shook my head and calmly assess the situation. Seeing this barrier, means we cannot escape here and since attacking it with any means is useless, we cannot continue to return from the way we came from. This sense has similar mechanics to those dungeon crawler games I have played before. If this was similar to a dungeon crawler mechanics, then the only way to get out of here is to find a special item to escape or kill the leader monster or boss monster.

"If we can't backtrack, we can only move forward."

Anya sighed. From the looks of it, she wanted to go home and rest but due to the unforeseen circumstances, it turned out this way.

"I am sorry about this, Anya. I have no idea that this will happen and will trap us here. If I did, I would have not brought you here."

"No worries brother. In fact, I am satisfied by this. Ever since we left the Phantasmal Reality, my instincts in hunting seemed to get rusty. And since this realm is much more peaceful compared to the situation inside the Phantasmal Reality, I have no chance to improve my abilities. So when you proposed that we will be going to a chaotic area, I immediately agreed. So no need to apologize. We are in this together and we will finish this together."

"Heh, alright, lets get ourselves on the move. We need to move faster or else, we will miss dinner."

"Got it, brother."

...

Since the situation has changed, we decided that we will be clearing the floors properly. Although I am not sure how tall this twisted school has and how many floors it possess, I don't think it was infinite. Our first task is to find a way to escape the place and get out of the G.A.T.E.S and return to the real world. The second one is to clear the place and kill all the enemies that blocks our ways.

To quickly finish our dileema, we have no choice but to climb up the third floor. If we wanted to escape this place as soon as possible, we will have to act like this was really a dungeon crawler game. I didn't know this much on G.A.T.E.S so before we proceed, I decided to ask the experts on G.A.T.E.S on information regarding this. The magicians in the chat group.

...

Chat Killer: I have an urgent question I wanted to ask, can you give me a hand if you know the solution?

Zan: Urgent? Can you enlighten us?

Chat Killer: We have come across a G.A.T.E.S and we decided to explore it. Titan and I explored the ground floor but we didn't managed to finish it since we didn't prepare much. I got the permission of Titan to explore it again if I wanted to. I decided to explore with my adopted dragon daughter this place and currently, we are in the second floor. We wanted to retire and return in the meantime for dinner but we found out we can't escape after our means to return to the ground floor and to the outside is blocked off by something that can absorb magic and can repel physical attacks. Is there a way for us to return safely?

Catmod: If you can't get out, have you tried teleporting? I heard the incubus familiar of yours has the ability to do so.

Chat Killer: We did but we can't perform it due to how his mana is purposely cut off once he starts channelling mana to supply on our Teleportation.

Yukizome: You are inside a G.A.T.E.S that can trap someone from leaving? Is there anything you can say to us regarding it?

Chat Killer: Aside from our blocked exit, we can't see how many floors this place possess and we also have no idea how to see what the next floor looks like. Everything is vague.

Zan: That is quite strange indeed. In my entire time of exploring ancient catacombs and G.A.T.E.S, I never heard of a portal that can trap the people entering it from leaving.

Voltaire: But can you proceed further into the next floor?

Chat Killer: Yes, we can still go further ahead.

Voltaire: If that is the case, go continue to the next floor and find any clues, items or devices that can help you return to the ground floor. In the meantime, we will be investigating this matter to make sure everything will be alright. Also, can you tell me the rating of the G.A.T.E.S you entered right now?

Chat Killer: It was stated by Titan that this place was rated as a low ranked one. However, I don't think it will remain low seeing the situation happening. There are also big monsters strong enough to kill other people easily that are not meant to be seen in low ranking G.A.T.E.S such as this. That is why, I wanted to reevalute this place as a medium ranked one.

Yukizome: Medium?

Chat Killer: The enemies are not that hard for experts and already has experience. Those guys who are still practicing, will surely have small chances surviving. I don't think it was impossible to kill the enemies, they are just strong and has to be handled by experienced ones to take them down.

Voltaire: We will be sending help in there in case the two of you so if possible, you guys find a way to escape. You stay in touch with us for developments in there so that we can assess the situation. We will also ask for Titan's cooperation since he has more knowledge about it.

Catmod: Be careful out there. We don't know the real nature of this particular G.A.T.E.S so we might be wrong in assumption but if things is now getting out of hand, don't forget to run. Escaping will certainly help you out. Don't just take every single thing head-on.

Rena: Good luck out there. Don't be too hasty and keep yourself uninjured. Also, don't die. Stay in touch. We will be glad to help immediately if needed.

Chat Killer: Understood.

...

After our conversation in the chat, we proceed to the stairwell that will lead us to the third floor. I don't want things like this to happen but now, it is now or never.

"Let's proceed."

...

As Kazuma and the others proceed to climb the stairwell, on the very top floor of the labyrinth that Kazuma and the others dwell, a monster that has the air of danger slowly awaken from his long slumber. The awakening of this particular monster will spark the trouble that will soon engulf the normal humans, the magicians and the demons into a spiral of chaos and darkness.